The parents and carers of the children and young people who are supported through Hospital and Outreach Education are an important part of our education plans. They are invited to review meetings which are usually held at the home school, approximately every 6 weeks. At these meetings, their child’s Individual Learning Plan is evaluated and a new one for the next 6 weeks planned. HOE ensure that the parent/carers have a voice and contribute to the target setting process.

We also have family liaison workers for both sides of the county who can work with parents/carers on how best to support their child with their education. They also co-ordinate a ‘Parent Time’ meeting every term where parents/carers can get together informally and chat over a cup of coffee and a biscuit. Sometimes we have speakers if particular topics of discussion have been requested which are outside the family liaison workers' area of expertise.

We have our termly parent/carer Newsletter also, which reminds parents/carers of key dates, gives information about forthcoming events, and safeguarding tips such as how to keep your child safe online.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does my child get referred to HOE? Your child's own school will make the referral if they are concerned that their medical or mental health difficulties are having a significant impact on their ability to attend school.

If my child is required to attend one of the outreach centres, how will they get there? HOE staff will work with you to support you getting your child to and from the centres. This may be support for your child in using public transport, by bike, or in extreme cases, by using a taxi.

How long will my child be with you? We can't answer that - it all depends on what the medical evidence indicates, how your child engages with the programme, and how they recover from their illness. Meetings are held every 6 weeks to discuss the learning programmes and next steps. You will be involved at all times in any decisions.

Is HOE an alternative to school? HOE is known as an 'alternative provision'. It is not a school, but an educational provision used in the interim whilst your child is not well enough to attend their mainstream school. HOW does not normally have the pupil for long lengths of time, as the best place for a child's education is in school.

Do we have to have Child and Adolescent Mental Health input if my child is to be referred to HOE? Not necessarily, although we do require medical evidence from a medical practitioner which may include CAMHS professionals. Medical evidence will be sought from the most appropriate professional who can provide us with the best advice so that the educational programme supports your child's recovery. However, if your child has had a referral to CAMHS for support, we will be expecting them to attend their appointments.

Can we pay the fees for HOE so our children can attend? No, parents cannot pay any fees, nor make the referral to HOE. It is not a private school, but the education is available free of charge to all children and young people in Northamptonshire with a medical or mental health difficulty which prevents them from attending school.

What subjects can my child access at HOE? All our pupils have a personalised learning programme which both you and your child will be involved in. All pupils study Maths, English and Science as core, but can access any variety and range of subjects on top of those. Last year, we delivered 30 different subjects.

Can I take my child on holiday during term time? As HOE functions as a place of education, like our mainstream counterparts, we do not permit holidays during term time due to the impact on pupil learning, particularly when your child may have missed significant amounts of their education due to the impact of their medical/mental health condition. However, we also recognise that for some pupils with very debilitating illnesses, a holiday can be a useful therapeutic tool and help to improve their well being. You are required to seek permission from the head teacher if you wish to take your child out, and all cases are treated individually.

My child needs to take medication - can they bring it with them? Yes they can. If you look in the parent handbook (available for download below), at the end of the handbook it details how you need to mark the container of the medicines etc.

What can I do to support my child at HOE? Check out the parent handbook and the home-HOE agreement which details the support we need from you. Our parent newsletters also have useful tips for you, as will our family liaison workers, and your role in your child's support is always discussed at review meetings.

If you have any further questions, please contact our family liaison workers:

Daphne Duncan (if you live in Northampton, Daventry or South Northants) 01604 662250 / 07850902017

Julie Ginns (if you live in Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough or East Northants) 01536 522858 / 07921092782

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Keeping Your Child Safe

Keeping Your Child Safe Online
We struggle to keep up with our children and their activities online but there is lots of information to help you. Vodafone have an excellent parent information site which can be accessed by clicking here.

Do you know what 'sexting' is?
NSPCC has a very useful website with lots of information for parents, with simple to understand fact sheets, details about how to set parental controls and what to do if your child has been sexting. You can access it by clicking here.

Keeping Your Child Safe from Extremism and Radicalisation
You will have probably heard on the news about schools duty to prevent children and young people from being drawn into extremism and radicalisation: HOE is no different, and is using Religious Education and Personal, Social, and Health Education sessions, along with 'Thought for the Day' to raise our pupil's awareness of this topic.

Keeping Your Child Safe from Sexual Exploitation
Again in the news, there have been some high profile cases of children and young people who have been groomed and sexually exploited. As a parent, would you know what to look out for?

Child sexual exploitation is when people use the power they have over young people to sexually abuse them. Their power may result from a difference in age, gender, intellect, strength, money or other resources.
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